Dr. John H. Hodgers, Class of 1959

Medicine

Dr. John H. Hodgers graduated from Pueblo High School in 1959. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona in 1963. After getting his Medical Doctorate from the University of Oregon in 1967 he joined the U.S. Navy. He completed his rotating internship at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Great Lakes, Illinois before arriving as a Lieutenant at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Once Lieutenant Commander, he became the diving medical officer for the Caribbean in charge of the only land based military recompression chamber. While there, Dr. Hodgers was chosen by President Richard Nixon as the Official De-Ratter of the base inspecting marine ships to be stamped to dock at any U.S. port.

In 1971, the exiled Cuban residents on base honored him with the Cuban-American Friendship Award for the time he spent bringing dignity to their lives. Fulfilling his military obligation, Dr. Hodgers joined the residency program at the Arizona Medical Center in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also worked for Planned Parenthood and Pima County Family Planning performing examinations and prescribing birth control to uninsured women. Dr. Hodgers spearheaded the initial studies at Arizona on the contraception device Dalkon Shield that led to its eventual removal from the market and billion dollar lawsuit.

From 1974 until his retirement in 2000 he joined a private practice in Renton, Washington on staff at Valley Medical Center and Auburn General Hospital. Dr. Hodgers is credited with the delivery of approximately 4,000 babies.